The Cavaliers were given the day off on Sunday. It was a small reward for beating the Bulls on Saturday, the second night of a back-to-back set.
Yet, on Sunday morning, one player didn’t want to disrupt his routine.
While most players were probably sleeping in, Cavs center Andrew Bynum showed up at the practice facility at 9:30 a.m. — as he does almost every day.
It came just hours after his breakthrough game in the Cavs’ 97-93 victory over Chicago when he erupted for a season-high 20 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks.
“It’s unbelievable,” Cavs forward Alonzo Gee said of the big man. “I haven’t seen it in a while, so I was very happy for him. He played really well. We’re just happy he’s coming back.”
Cavs coach Mike Brown played Bynum a season-high 30 minutes. Bynum wondered after the game how his knees would feel the next day.
“From what our trainers said, he was fine after the game,” Brown said.
“He’s been making progress. Our medical team has done a great job. He’s done a great job of stuff that’s needed to be done. (Sunday) we had a day off, he was in here at 9:30 in the morning.
“That’s how he’s been. Before the season started, he was doing that every day. I think he might have done it every day but one day. That type of dedication from him, from our medical staff, led by (Cavs physical therapist) George Sibel. It’s been good. They got the formula back there.”
The 7-foot, 294-pounder is averaging 7.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks. His shooting percentage is up to 40 percent (38 of 95), and he continues to lead the team at the foul line at 91.3 percent (21 of 23).
The last Cavs player to record 20 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks and three assists was Shawn Kemp vs. Detroit on April 8, 2000.
“It’s actually good to jump and see that it wasn’t too bad on the landing,” Bynum said. “I think, more so than anything, it’s about getting more and more minutes and getting out on the floor and getting my touch back.”
Brown said fans have been waiting for Bynum to have that kind of game.
“Everybody saw a little bit of what Andrew is capable of bringing to the table for us,” he said. “He’s a guy that hasn’t played in over a year. So for us to continue to have patience with him and understand it’s a process is something that we’re going to continue to do. Not only that, we have a young team and we’re still trying to learn how to play with him the right way, and he’s trying to learn how to play with our young team.
“I thought he was big for us on the glass. I thought he was big for us protecting the rim. You guys can see he’s a willing passer. He’s got a good feel for the game. He’ll make the right pass, especially if he gets doubled.”
The Cavs (5-12) struggled mightily trying to throw Bynum entry passes into the post up until the last game.
“You saw how we can play off Bynum if we need to,” Brown said. “He makes everybody better because of the attention he commands.”Quick shots
-- Gee is still shell shocked from Auburn’s upset over rival Alabama on Saturday.
“Man, I was upset by that,” he said. “The fans (at The Q) were like, ‘Ahh.’ I knew we lost after that. We were warming up, running layups. They started calling my name. ‘Alonzo, Alonzo.’ Everybody. My teammates. Everybody.”
Gee attended Alabama and is a huge SEC football fan.
He couldn’t believe the media wanted to regurgitate the Crimson Tide’s loss again on Monday.
“That’s messed up what y’all did, man,” he said.
-- Gee gets little credit for what he does for the Cavs.
“I just want to win,” he said. “At the end of the day, if it’s Bynum winning the game, I’m happy. If it’s Kyrie (Irving), whoever it is. At the end of the day, I just want to win. Whatever I’ve got to do to win, that’s what I’m going to do.”
-- Cavs’ single-game tickets for the second half of the 2013-14 season go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. Tickets for the night they are retiring Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ No. 11 jersey on Saturday, March 8, are quite popular.
-- The Nuggets come to town on Wednesday. They are starting former Cavs draft pick J.J. Hickson at center.

About the Author

Bob has covered the Cavs for The News-Herald and Morning Journal since 1995. He's a graduate of Kent State University and New Philadelphia High School. Reach the author at rfinnan@news-herald.com
or follow Bob on Twitter: @BobCavsinsider.